


Nobody said it would be this hard.

by agape_eternal



Category: Swimming RPF
Genre: M/M, Phlochte - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-12
Updated: 2012-12-12
Packaged: 2017-11-20 23:43:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/591023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agape_eternal/pseuds/agape_eternal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ryan didn't think it would be this hard competing without Michael...but it is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nobody said it would be this hard.

**Author's Note:**

> This kind of hit me out of the blue since Short Course Worlds is going on.

Ryan didn't think it would be this hard, competing without Michael. 

But it is. 

The Grand Prix's weren't that bad. Michael had skipped a lot of those the last four years. But stepping out on a big stage for the first time....it's different. 

Ryan had made a slow walk on deck and stopped between lanes 4 and 5, stared at them for a long time. He stood there, waiting for Michael to walk out and then it hit him. 

Michael wouldn't be walking out. Michael wouldn't be climbing on the blocks beside him. Michael wouldn't be jumping in after him. He was alone, just him.

He'd walked off deck then, into the locker room, and grabbed his phone. It felt like forever until Michael's answering machine picked up. He sighed. Of course. 

"Hey, Mikey. Just went on deck and you weren't there. It sucks. Call me when you get this okay? I miss you. Love you."

Ryan tosses his phone back into his bag and drags himself out to the pool. 

He jumps into lane 3 and doesn't talk to anyone for the rest of practice. 

\+ 

Michael does finally call Ryan back, half way between Ryan trying to decide if he's going to finish whatever the fuck it was he'd ordered.

He lets it ring for a while before he finally answers, smiling at Michael's voice. 

"You should come to Turkey," Ryan blurts before Michael can get past 'how are you'. 

"I can't Ry, I've got stuff Peter set for me."

"Please? Please Mike. I need you to be here okay? You don't know how hard this is for me."

"Ry," Michael sighs and flops back on his bed. "I can't. I want too, but I can't." 

"Mike this is really important okay? I just...I need you."

"I'm sorry Ry, I'm so sorry."

Ryan sighs and stares up at the ceiling. "It's okay, I know you're busy. It was just really hard going out there and realizing you won't be next to me."

"I want to be there, I really do. It's just impossible the way Peter set things up."

"Yeah, Peter does that a lot. It's okay. I'll call you tomorrow before prelims, I gotta sleep." 

"Okay. I love you Ry. Good luck."

"I love you too. Night." 

\+ 

Ryan does call Michael but Michael doesn't answer, it rolls straight to voicemail. It's not like he's surprised. He loves Michael more than anything in the world, but he's notorious for not answering. 

Ryan sighs, tosses his phone into his locker and tries his best not to think of Michael. Except he's swimming the butterfly and yeah, that's brilliant.

He does call Michael, again, after his race and still nothing. 

He wouldn't admit to sulking all the way back to the hotel, during lunch and his talk with Kristin, or still sulking going into finals, but he does. 

At least he wins.

+

He's still sulking in the locker room when two arms wrap around him from behind. 

"Hi doggy." 

Ryan wouldn't admit to the smile on his face except his face hurts from how hard he's grinning when he turns and wraps his arms around Michael's neck. 

Yeah he's still wet but if Michael doesn't care, Ryan won't either. 

"I thought you said it was impossible," Ryan murmurs, face pressed against Michael's shoulder.

"And I thought you said it was important." 

Ryan smiles, pulling away to kiss Michael. 

He doesn't give a shit what else happens at worlds because the most important thing is here. Standing right in front of him. 

"Yeah," Ryan rests his forehead against Michael's. "It is."


End file.
